Quick News

Bangkok will see the largest international gathering of social investors in Asia at the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) Conference from June 7-9.
In partnership with the Khonthai Foundation, the event brings together more than 500 social investors from around the world to foster the growth of the social-sector ecosystem in Asia. The conference theme “Collaboration for Impact” reflects the importance of partnership across sectors and borders when looking to tackle some of Asia’s biggest social challenges.
Now in its fifth year, the AVPN conference historically draws together representatives from more than 30 countries. This year’s list of expected attendees includes international foundations such as the Rockefeller and Sasakawa Peace foundations, local family offices and companies involved in philanthropy and impact investing, international corporates including Coca-Cola, Google and Credit Suisse, and government agencies such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“The Khonthai Foundation partnered with TDRI, TYPN, Change Fusion, Ashoka and Volunteer Spirit to bring the prestigious AVPN Conference to Thailand,” said Vichien Phongsathorn, chairman of the Premier Group of Companies and founder of the Khonthai Foundation. 
“We see this conference as an important step to encouraging collaboration to facilitate the growth of the social sector in Thailand. We look forward to being able to share our local insights from Thailand with a global network, learn and be inspired by like-minded peers from around the world.”

Onyx picks Douglas Martell as new leader

Onyx Hospitality Group has named Douglas Martell as chief executive. Previously the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Onyx, Martell succeeds Peter Henley, who will retire after leading the company’s multi-brand and pan-regional expansion as chief executive for nine years.
Martell will build on the achievements of Henley while further enhancing these efforts to ensure the company’s success as it enters the next phase of regional growth, Onyx said. He will lead a long-term strategic plan as part of the company’s aim of becoming the best mid-sized hospitality player in Asia, with an emphasis on growing the Onyx regional portfolio, “augmenting the value proposition of each brand and enhancing operational excellence”, the company said.
With a career spanning more than 25 years, Martell has hospitality experience from management and operational functions across a number of roles held in markets including China, Japan, Australia, Europe and India. Before joining Onyx as chief operating officer in 2014, Martell spent 13 years at InterContinental Hotels Group, where he held senior leadership roles in Australia, China and Japan, before being appointed IHG’s vice president of operations for Southwest Asia, based |in India.

Rider Run sees battle of the generations

Dream Express (Dex) is joining with Toei, the licence holder of the Masked Rider Japan event, as the hosts of the world’s first Rider Run event that marks 45 years of the Rider series. The run in Bangkok will be on May 28 at Lumpini Park.
Dex, the licence holder of the Rider event in Thailand, said the run promoted health and family relationships under the theme “Rider Battle Run” between two generations of the Riders.
Participants can meet actors from the series “Hormones” at the event.
Pitchapa Narongpan, marketing manager of Dex, a Japanese comic-book and entertainment company in Thailand, said the event was an invitation to all Thai Rider fans to come out and run for their health.
The racing types for this race are |2.5 kilometres, 5km and 10km. All activities |will be held under the theme Rider Battle |Run, which is the duel match between two generations of Riders, especially the Riders |and Ai-Mod-Daeng. The first 45 finishers of each run will receive special prizes.

Govt’s floating market fair rakes in Bt38m so far 

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the floating market ‘Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem’ over the weekend to buy locally-made products, supplied directly by local producers nationwide. 
The fairs, organised by the Department of Community Development, drew many interested in buying quality products from differnet regions of the country at fair prices, such as jewelry, household appliances and silk scarves among many other popular items. 
Those who spent Bt1,000 or over are entitled to receive a gift from a state store on presenation of their payment slips . Since the inception of the fair on May 4 , more than Bt38 million in sales has been recorded. The weekly event will come to an end on May 27.

TMB touts card edge in online campaign

Thai Military Bank (TMB) has begun an online advertising campaign, “TMB So GooOD”.
The bank says the campaign highlights what it calls the point of difference of TMB credit cards “via a unique, constant feature which helps make a cardholder’s life easier through a self-ordered three-month instalment payment plan free of interest for three months on every Bt1,000 or more purchase using a TMB credit card”.
The bank said a TMB So GooOD service request could be initiated on the TMB Touch mobile application. The bank is using celebrity Gunn Svasti Na Ayudhya as its brand presenter.
It said the TMB So GooOD permanent feature of TMB credit cards showed its desire to deliver a different concept to improve customers’ lives.

Kidz & Kitz cuts price on Silvanian toy line

Kidz & Kitz, the importer and distributor of Silvanian Family Toys in Thailand, is selling Country Tree School, an elementary toy collection that comes in the theme of trees for children to building their dream schools and classrooms, at a discounted price Bt1,750. It usually sells for Bt2,850.
Fans of the Sylvanian collection can take advantage of the offer until May 31 at the Silvanian Market in the Gateway Ekkamai Shopping Centre and at department stores.

WWF, SET co-host ‘responsible financing’ event

WWF Thailand partnered with the Stock Exchange of Thailand to hold a seminar and workshop titled “Responsible Financing for Banks in Thailand”. 
Sustainable finance is a growing global movement and this event aims to raise awareness and build capacity among Thai commercial banks around this important concept. WWF said the event was well received with many prominent banks in attendance.
Financing environmentally and socially responsible businesses creates new opportunities for financial institutions in growing markets, WWF says. Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria, the main topic of this seminar, are critical tools for assessing businesses on these counts, which major global banks are already using to guide their client and transaction approval processes.
These criteria examine environmental risks such as climate change, which poses huge societal risks due to population displacement and food and water insecurity. By incorporating ESG assessments into business strategy and planning, Thai financial institutions can make better capital-allocation decisions, deepen relationships and add value to clients, all while better protecting the planet, the environmental organisation says.
“The financial sector is a key lever to influence businesses’ strategies and supply chains to reduce their threats to the natural world and to create financial mechanisms that protect and support sustainable ecosystems. WWF Thailand is interested in analysing public and private money flows and redirecting them towards more sustainable ends,” said Yingyong Vityananan, WWF Thailand sustainable finance manager.

‘New realities’ for Indian banking sector

The Indian banking sector is grappling with new realities and needs urgent attention to ensure that it remains a key driver of the country’s economy, according to a new report published by McKinsey & Company. 
The report titled “Mastering New Realities: A Blueprint to Transform Indian Banking” is a detailed perspective on the sector focusing on how to execute a set of priorities for the sector. 
It highlights key challenges that are testing the strength and resilience of the industry, even as positive macroeconomic and technological trends are driving the growth of new opportunities.
A combination of four major forces have stirred up a perfect storm in Indian banking, and exposed underlying structural challenges, the report says. 
First, loan volumes have shrunk by 0.1 per cent, and there is surplus liquidity in the banking system. A deposit surge along with a credit slowdown has brought down the credit-deposit ratio of Indian banks. 
Second, stressed assets of the Indian banking sector are currently greater than their net worth, with the potential of putting the entire equity base of banks at risk. 
Third, Indian consumers are more digital than ever, with a fall in costs driving growth in digital and online usage. 
Finally, a digital, inclusive, interoperable and competitive financial-services sector is on the rise. Government-backed initiatives like Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, and IndiaStack are creating publicly accessible, unified digital infrastructure for providing financial services and accessing customer information. 

KLeasing launches campaign for car-owners in need 

Kasikorn Leasing recently unveiled the “K-Auto Finance: Shop Thousands, Insure for Millions” campaign for customers with lien-free vehicles in need of working capital. 
Applications for K-Auto refinancing submitted from now until June 30 with loans disbursed before August 1 are entitled to a Bt1,000 Tesco Lotus gift voucher and personal accident coverage of up to Bt1.5 million. 
Applications are accepted at any Kasikornbank branch nationwide or via a KLeasing mobile application. It is expected that this campaign will help the company achieve its 2017 loan target of Bt77 billion.